Sony Ericsson's upcoming Xperia X1 smartphone is due to go on sale at first in Europe in just 20 days. It'll hit the streets in the UK, Germany and Sweden then, followed by many other countries throughout the remainder of 2008. To "start the countdown" SE will be launching a live global webcast on September 15 at 1PM London time, demonstrating the handset's fucntions. That's fab news, and confirms that rumor the phone would go on sale this year... just not in the US. Dates for North America and other countries will be out "in the coming months" apparently. Press release below.

London, UK - 10 September 2008 - Sony Ericsson today announces 30 September 2008 as the official launch date for the highly anticipated Xperia(TM) X1 - initially available to consumers in the UK, Germany and Sweden. The handset will be available in other markets across Europe, Asia and Latin America throughout Q4 2008.

Availability dates for North America, China, Australia and Russia along with other countries not mentioned above will be announced by local markets in the coming months.

Webcast
To start the countdown to the launch of Xperia(TM) X1, Sony Ericsson will host a live global webcast on September 15 at 13:00 GMT + 1, offering viewers the first in-depth demonstration of the handset. The web cast will also premiere the first episode of an alternative reality thriller Johnny X. To register to view the web cast and Q&A session with Xperia(TM) X1 Senior Product Manager Magnus J Andersson, please visit: www.sonyericsson.com/premiere.

"We are extremely pleased with the innovation and new user experience we have created for consumers on the Xperia(TM) X1," said Rikko Sakaguchi CVP and Head of Creation and Development at Sony Ericsson. "The in-depth demonstration on the web cast will showcase how this handset is truly unique. The nine panel eco system puts the user in total control of the primary experiences available on the phone and allows consumers to personalise the panel interface to suit their needs and lifestyle. The Xperia(TM) X1 has the highest quality screen on the market, four-way navigation keys and optical joy stick to give a stressless browsing experience and, with its super fast processor and network speed the Xperia(TM) X1 really bridges the gap between personal, entertainment and work mobile needs."

Johnny X Alternative Reality Thriller
Johnny X is about a young man with amnesia desperately piecing together his identity. The webisodic thriller comprises of nine episodes, created to demonstrate the rich, immersive and experiential elements of the Xperia(TM) X1.

The storyline follows Johnny X on his mission to rediscover his identity. As he finds out more about his lost life in a race against time, he updates his Xperia(TM) X1 with new content to piece together his personality and identity, reflecting how the phone can be personalized to suit users' individual lifestyle and needs. Will Johnny X find out who he really is before it's too late?

"Producing the Johnny X thriller has given us an engaging platform to demonstrate all the capabilities and features a user can experience with the Xperia(TM) X1 phone," said Lennard Hoornik, Head of Marketing at Sony Ericsson. "The panel interface is a perfect way to reflect your personality and can be tailored and changed to suit your exact needs at any given time. No two Xperia(TM) X1 will ever have the same combination of panels on the phone; we are all individuals and deserve to have a phone that reflects that. "

Over a three week period, one new episode of Johnny X will be posted online atwww.sonyericsson.com/Johnnyx every Monday, Wednesday and Friday starting on Monday, September 22. Check out the trailer for the series at www.whoisjohnny-x.com

Global Launch
The official global launch of the Xperia(TM) X1 will take place at Tent London as part of London Design Week between September 18 - 21st. Journalists are invited to attend the official Tent London opening party on Friday evening 19 September 2008 to see the Xperia(TM) X1 and meet with Sony Ericsson spokespeople. To register, please email: sonyericsson@bm.com

Tent London is one of the most comprehensive and diverse design events of the year. It is a multi-disciplinary event in an exciting location that will appeal equally to designers, media and consumers - embracing art to architecture, vintage to contemporary and raw talent to established trend-setters.

Open to general public from 18-21st September, from 10am, with admission prices starting at:
Public & Students £7.50 in advance £10.00 on the door
Child (under 16) £5.00
Child (under 5) FREE
For advance ticket purchases, visit: www.tentlondon.co.uk
Address: Circa at Tent London, The Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London, E1

Xperia(TM)
The Xperia(TM) X1 is the first product under Sony Ericsson's new premium sub-brand Xperia(TM). Designed to meet consumers' needs for a converged entertainment and mobile web communication experience, the Xperia(TM) X1 is an extremely stylish handset encased in a real stainless steel body, with a striking arc-slider design, supported by a powerful multimedia ecosystem.

Consumers can access a world of experiences by tapping on one of the unique customisable panels on the three-inch high resolution touch-widescreen. Windows Mobile® lets you choose from a dynamic range of activities anytime and anywhere; from enjoying your music, watching a video, checking email, shopping online or working with Windows Mobile Office on-the-move. The full QWERTY keyboard and quality metal casing completes this premium handset. For more information please visit: www.sonyericsson.com/x1